Thomas s



(No Mo' del.)

T. s. HALL. ABDOMINAL BRAGE AND SUPPORTER. No. 425.784.

Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

THOMAS S. HALL, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

ABDOMINAL BRACE AND SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,784, dated April15, 1890.

Application filed June 20, 1889. $erial No. 314,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. HALL, professionally known as THOMAS S.DARE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of thecity, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Abdominal Braces and Supporters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to abdominal braces and supporters, my object beingto provide a brace and support for the bowels and external organs orprivates, more especially adapted for the use of athletes, acrobats,contortionists, and others who, while requiring such bracing andsupport, require, also, the utmost freedom from restraint of movement, abrace and support that. will retain its place about the abdomen and willfirmly and securely brace up the bowels and support the privates nomatter what contortions, evolutions, or attitudes the wearer may assume,and which will not interfere with or hinder the free movement of thebody, the muscles, or the limbs.

My invention consists in the combination, with a band or girdle ofelastic material, of a sling or loop of elastic material, and in theconstruction of the same, as is more fully described and claimedhereinafter, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings, which,

form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 shows aperspective view as it appears when not in use. Fig. 2 shows a frontView of it in use.

Like letters indicate like parts in both figures. v I

A is an elastic band or girdle of suitable width and circumference. (Imake it about six inches wide and two-thirds the circumference of theperson who is to wear it.) It may be formed so as to constitute anendless band, or may consist of a strip the ends of which are providedwith suitable means for fastening them. together. I prefer the endlessform, and secure the ends ofa stripof elastic webbing togetherinseparably by means of stitches of thread. To this girdle A is securedinseparably a broad band, so as to form a sling or loop B, which is alsoelastic and of width (N0 model.)

slightly narrower than the girdle A. This loop B should be made of thesame character of material as the girdle, (preferably elastic webbing,the quality of elasticitybein g a most essential featureof myinvention.) One of its ends is securely joined to the lower edge of thefront a and the other to. the lower edge of the rear 0 of the girdle, soas to depend from its center, as shown in Fig. 1. I join the loop B tothe girdle A inseparably with stitches of thread. Such an article admitsof being put on and secured without adjusting devices of any sort toirritate the flesh and annoy the wearer.

The parts being made inseparable, the mode of adjustment to the personis as follows: Thrust the legs through the girdle A in the directionindicated by the arrows b and id, one on each side of the loop B, anddraw the girdle A well up behind and over the hips. The scrotum andpenis of the male wearer are then to be drawn up in front of the lowerabdomen and adjusted under the front portion of the girdle at the pointshown at a, Fig. 2. This can be easily done, because of the clasticityof the girdle and loop.

It will be obvious that abdominal braces and supporters such asdescribed will be found to be practically useful for others than theclasses hereinbefore mentioned. It is therefore not deemed necessary tomake'further mention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

An abdominal brace and supporter consisting of a broad endless belt ofelastic material, in combination with a broad band of elastic materialpermanently attached to the lower edge at the back and front of saidbelt, so as to form a loop pending from the same, substantially as andfor the purpose described. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 19thday of June, 1889.

' THOMAS S. HALL. \Vitncsscs:

J. F. CUNNINGHAM, JoHN N. McLEAN.

